Recently updated on July 11th, 2023 at 06:59 am
Just outside the Austrian city of Villach, in the forested mountains that border Italy, Castle Wernberg lies within verdant countryside, overlooking the flowing Drau River. This ancient castle now acts as a monastery to Carinthia’s Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood.
Dating back to 1575, it was the Benedictine monks who originally took up residence here, but after their monastery was abolished by the Emperor in the 1700s, the castle ran into disrepair, changing hands a number of times. It wasn’t until 1935 that the castle was finally restored to its former glory by the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood. Since then it has housed the world’s largest community of Missionary Sisters, with 62 nuns living here and carrying out charitable work in the region.
Sister Monika arrived at the monastery 30 years ago. “It was the combination of prayer, work, community and the enthusiasm to establish this old castle that made me want to stay,” she explains. It’s Sister Monika who most visitors first meet here, as she greets and looks after the people who come to stay.
Kloster Wernberg hasn’t always hosted guests, but life at the monastery has inevitably evolved over time. “Change is a sign of life,” says Sister Monika, “The oldest part of the house is 800 years old and the nuns have been here for 80 years, but the needs of the time change. We always have to ask ourselves what the purpose of the here and now is, and what our mission is here in Europe.”
After rising early, the nuns make time for meditation and prayer before breakfast. Then the day’s work begins. “I am responsible for looking after the guests who come to our guesthouse,” she says, “I can offer spiritual advice, give tours of the monastery, and organise trips into the mountains. In summer, people can go swimming in the nearby lakes.”
“With 62 sisters, we have a lot of cooking, cleaning, gardening and farming to do. Within the monastery we have a garden, farm shop, guesthouse and an education centre, plus we provide pastoral and social services. We also have a private kindergarten for 25 children.”
Guests at the monastery dine on fresh produce from the Sisters’ garden and farm, with bread from the on-site bakery. “People who come to stay say they like the atmosphere here because the lifestyle is much simpler. It’s a unique experience to be in such a place of strength, and the house has a very interesting story with footprints throughout history. We try to find the right balance between tradition and the modern times.”
Christmas at the monastery is an especially enchanting time. On Christmas Eve, amidst the snow-capped mountains that surround Villach, the Sisters lead a procession of light through town. In the afternoon a special service is held, drawing in hundreds of people, then all of the guests at the monastery gather to celebrate together. “We eat dinner at one long table, then sit around the Christmas tree to sing carols, tell stories and drink a glass of wine,” Sister Monika enthuses, “Christmas is a time when a light comes from darkness, and the magic of hope cannot be switched off easily.”
Visit Kloster Wernberg Monastery on the Switzerland and Austria itinerary with Trafalgar.
Image credits: All photos of Kloster Wernberg Monastery and Sister Monika © Kloster Wernberg Monastery